A Year of Gene Hackman: THE POSEIDON ADVENTURE (1972)
A lackluster affair that wastes the talents of our favorite actor
Gene Hackman is America’s greatest living actor. This is not an opinion, but an objective fact.
In recognition of this truth, I have committed to watching — or rewatching — one of his movies every week for an entire year. I intend to report back with my thoughts and nerdy analysis for each one.
THE POSEIDON ADVENTURE (1972)
This was a thing in the 1960s and 70s.
Studios would package a group of well liked actors and place them in some kind of disaster scenario. And then they’d give everyone a few scenes to show what it was that people liked about them. The characters bickered and argued before finally agreeing on the ideas posited by the biggest star in the cast.
This formula produced films like Airport, The Towering Inferno, and Flight of Phoenix.
It’s not a bad formula. These movies aren’t terrible. They’re just mostly forgettable.
The Poseidon Adventure is one of these disaster ensemble vehicles.
Upon its release, Roger Ebert said this about the film:
“The Poseidon Adventure is the kind of movie…
